Radiator vent and alarm device



Dec. 15l 1925- H. C. HEATOFJ` RADIATOR VENT AND ALARM DEvlcE" Filed D.5, 1919 Patented pee. 15, 1925.

marras sra'rssA Hannan c. Haaren, or an'awim, ILLINOIS.

RADIATOR VENT ANI) .ALARM DEVICE..

Application tiled December 5, 1919. Serial No. 342,784.

To all wlwm z't may com-:em:

Beit known that I, HERMAN C. HEATON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Berwyn, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvementin Radiator `Vent and AlarmDevices, of which the 'following'is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescriptmn, reference being had to the acompanying drawings, forming apart of thisspeciication.

My invention relates to an improved radiator vent and alarm device.

The invention has general application to the water cooling systems ofinternal combustion engines, more particularly of the type employed inpleasure and commercial automobiles, trucks, tractors, etc., and has asone of its main objects the provision of ator cap would be invisible.The emission of steam vapor from the alarm device also affords a visiblealarm which is noticeable instantly.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of anon-spilling radiator vent for relieving the cooling system of anyinjurious pressure developed by the heating of the cooling mgdium. Thisnon-s illing vent erforms the function ofthe or inary over ow pipe asembodied in practically all water cooled cars of the present day, butwithout the wasteful loss of water or nonfreezing solution thatcharacterizes the latter.

My invention will be more apparent by reference to the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the front end of anautomobile i1- lustrating the combined vent and alarm device applied tothe radiatorg Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of system, an

the alarm whistle, andthe valve for controlling the connection of thevent therewith,

and I Figure 3 is an isolated view of a modified arrangement o f alarmdevice.

The cooling system for the internal combustion engine 1 is illustratedas being of the forced circulation type, the arrangement and' operationof which is so well known as not to require an extensive or detaildescri tion ofthe same; The cold water is pumpe into the cylinder jacketfrom the circulating pump 2, which draws the water from the bottom ofthe radiator 3 through the pipe 4. After circulating through the waterjacket and performing its function of cooling the cylinders, the heatedwater iloyvs up into the water manifold' from whenceit is dischargedinto the upper water box 6 of the radiator 3. The cooling action of theradiator 3 is augmented by the forced circulation .of air therethroughthrough the operation of the fan 7. Shutter mechanism, .manuallyoperable from the dash, for controlling the air circulation through theradiator may be provided if desired. Though the present embodimentillustrates the device as applied to a forced circulation coolingsystem, it is to be` understood that the device also has a plication tothe thermo-Siphon fwith perhaps a reater measure to.l

of utility, owing to the 'act that these systems are subject to a quickrise in temperature by the falling of the water level below thecirculation oint.

The vent for the ra iator comprises a. pipe or tube 8 of relativelysmall bore which projects through the rear wall of the upper water box6, in which the pipe is soldered or otherwise suitably secured.' Thevent pipe 8 enters the water box at a relatively hi h point, to one sideof the ilexible coupling 9, and has its end projecting horizon-l tallyinto the water box, terminating in the central part thereof as indicatedat 11. From the radiator 3, the vent pipe 8 is extended backsubstantially horizontally over the to of the engine 1 and is extendedthrong the dash 12 into the vdrivers compartment. Here the vent pipethreads into a three-way valve or cock 13 of any preferred constructionwhich, as shown in Figure 2, is adapted to place the vent pipe 8 incommunication with either the upper alarm pipe 14 or the lower dischargepipe 15 through the rotatable valve passagev 16.

The upper pipe 14 is connected to an alarm whistle 17, and is extendedup to support the alarm whistle 17 in a plane preferably at a higherlevel than that of the filler cap 18 on the ,radiator 3. This alarmwhistle may be of any suitable type having the ability to emit a quicklyperceptible and characteristic sound, even under the slight steampressure available in the vent pipe 8. The lower discharge pipe extendsdown through the iioor boards of the car and discharges beneath thevehicle.

It will be apparent that in the above ar-, rangement of vent practicallyno loss of the cooling medium can result from the splashing of the 'samein the radiator. ln prior arrangements employing overflow pipesextending down in the rear of the radiator there has always been a.considerable loss undesirably high tem erature by blowing through thewhistle l The discharge of4 of the cooling medium due to splashin ofsame into the overflow pipe resulting rom the quick stopping or startingof the car, the joltingof the car, 'and the inclining of the carintravelingup and down steep hills. It will be seen that the likelihood ofwater splashing directly .into the horizontally extending end of thevent pipe 11 is relatively remote, and even when this does occur thewater simply pulsates back and forth in the vent pipe 8 until the sameinclines downwardly, wereupon it runs back into the radiator again. Theelevated position of the alarm whistle 17 prevents the discharge of thecooling medium except in cases where the expansion of the same is ofsuch degree as to require relieving of the same. An excessive surplus ofcooling medium in the system resulting from the expansion of the liquidcan be readily relieved by turning the three-way cockl 13 to dischargethis surplus liquid'down through the discharge pipe 15. .Theconstruction in the whistle 17 and in the relatively long horizontalvent pipe 8 prevents the rapid egress of air from the vent pipe andhence retards any liquid which might be splashed into the vent pipefrompulsating back and forth through the vent pipe. v

. Upon the eneration of steam in the coollng system, ue to overworkingof the engine or through an insul'licient. quantity of water inthecooling system, the'air and any water which may be entrained in thevent pipe 8 are expelled throughthe whistle 17 and the generated steamimmediately sounds an alarm that the cooling -water 1s at an the vaporrising .from the dash is also quickly noticeable so that a visibleindication 1s glven as well. If the sound of the whistle should proveannoying after the driver has been informed of the condition of the.cooling system or if' the steam issuing from the whistle should heobstructive 0f vof the two essential conditions in the coolingsystem,namely, the temperature of the Y liquid, and the quantity of the liquidlin the system.

In the modified arrangement illustrated in Figure 3,-a -U shaped trap 22is interposed in the vent pipe 8, having connection therewith through.small chambers 23-23. A column of mercury orthe like 24 is contained inthis trap and functions to seal oi the interior of the radiator or thecooling system from the alarm device. Upon the generation of. anappreciable pressure of steam in the radiator the pressure overcomes theequilibrium of the mercury col` umn and partly or entirely displaces itinto one of the chambers 23, which are each of suicient capacity toreceive all of the mer cury in the trap without allowing its entranceinto the vent pipe connection.

After the-mercury column has been discharged into the chamber 23 thesteam pres sure discharges through the body of mercury and escapesthrough the vent pipe 8, 'thereby blowing the alarm whistle. As soon asthe pressure subsides the mercury, flows back into the trap 22. Theparticular utility of the mercury trap is to entirely close ofi theradiator from the atmosphere to prevent all leakage and evaporation ofthe water or cooling compound and thereby avoid frequent reilling.Furthermore, the mercury trap, by requiring an appreciable steam ressurefor its penetration avoids the ob- )ectionable blowing of the whistlefrom a slight expansion of air in the radiator or from the surging ofwater back and forth in the radiator or through the vent connection. Itwill be noted .that although the mercurytra'p closes oli' the interiorof the radiator for all/'practical purposes, it has an expansible actionfor relieving any excessive pressures in the cooling system.

1. In combination, an automobile radiator, a' ventl passage extendinghorizontally' back from said radiatorto prevent spilling due to'aforward surge of the contents of said radiator, and a whistle connectedto' the rearjend of said vent passage, said vent passage extending downto-serve as an overflow.

2. In combination, an internal combustion engine and a circulatory watercooling system for cooling said engine, said cooling ksystem beingclosed ol" from the atmosphere and comprising a pressure sensitiverelieving device adapted to relieve excessive pressures developing :insaid coolingsystem,

pipe having a downwardly directed U-shaped depression intermediate -itslength forming a liquid trap.

4. In an automobile, the combination of an internal combustion engine,and a circulatory water cooling system for cooling said engine, saidwater cooling system comprising a radiator, a vent pipe extending fromsaid radiator to a point adjacent the dash of said automobile, an alarmwhistle connected to said vent pipe and operable by the generation ofsteam in said water cooling system, and means adjacent the dash of saidautomobile for controlling the opera- Y tion of said alarm whistle.

5.v In an automobile, the combinationof an internal combustion engine, acirculatory water cooling system for cooling said engine, saidcirculatory system comprising a radiator, a relatively longsubstantially horizontal vent pipe extending back from nection of saidwhistle and said discharge pipe with said .vent pipe.

6. In an automobile, the combination of an internal combustion engine, acirculatory water cooling system for cooling said engine, saidcirculatory system com rising a radias tor, a vent pipe extending. ack:from said radiator to a point adjacent the dash of said automobile, analarm whistle, a discharge connection, and valve means for controllingthe communication of said vent pipe with either said alarm Whistle orsaid d1scharge connection.

7 In an automobile, the combination of an internal combustion engine, acirculatory water cooling system for cooling said engine,

said circulatory system comprising a radi-ator, a vent pipe projectingsubstantially horizontally into said radiator, saidV vent pipe extendingback from said radiator to the dash of said automobile, an alarm whistleadjacent the dash, a discharge pipe leadingv out of the driverscompartment,

valves for placing said vent pipe into com-` munication with either saidalarm whistle or said discharge pipe, and a gauge glass adjacent saidwhistle on vsaid dash for indiating the level of the cooling mediumin`said circulatory system.

8. In combination, an internal combus-l tion engine, a water coolingsystem for said engine comprising a radiator, a Vent connection for saidradiator, said vent connection being extended'back to a point adjacentthe dash of the automobile, and means for indicating a discharge flowthrough said vent connection.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 2nd day ofDecember, 1919. HERMAN C. HEATON.

